From Obinna Odogwu, Abakaliki
A middle-aged man whose name was given as Maduka Nworiegu has been allegedly killed by a gang of five assailants allegedly led by his elder brother (name withheld). The incident happened at Akunakuna Village, Amagu in Ikwo Local Government Area of Ebonyi State.
According to the residents of the area, the victim was beaten by his assailants with iron, cudgels and other dangerous weapon till he died.
This dastardly act came shortly after news filtered in that a vigilante group in Amudo Community, Ezza South Local Government Area of the state allegedly led by (names withheld) attacked a 32-year-old man, Emmanuel (surname withheld) with machete yesterday and inflicted him with injuries.
Emmanuel, at the moment, is receiving treatment at Chidindu Hospital in the same area.
In the Amagu Ikwo tragedy, the deceased younger brother, Donald, alleged that the assailants dropped the corpse of the victim at his father’s house and fled the village when they discovered that he had died.
He dismissed the insinuation that the death was politically motivated, as rumour had it that the assailants acted on the bidding of a top politician from the area.
He said there was no misunderstanding between the two brothers to have warranted such dastardly act, as none of them had complained of any misunderstanding between them.
“Our brother hired assassins to kill him. It was our brother that led the gang that killed him. The victim is my immediate younger brother. We are from the same parents. I was not aware that there was any problem between the two because if there was, my father would have known or even told me.
“I was not home when it happened but my people told me that they beat him with iron and other weapons and when they discovered that he had died, they kept him in our father’s parlour and ran away,” he said.
For Emmanuel who was attacked by a group of local vigilante, his relative who gave his names as Charles told Daily Sun that Emmanuel was returning from Afikpo where he worked when he met the group at Onuokpuru Ikwe in Amudo Community who arrested him and gave him machete cuts to the point of death.
When contacted on the telephone, the state Police Public Relations Officer, ASP Loveth Odah, said she has not been briefed on the incidents. She promised to get back to our correspondent.